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GENERAL CONCLUSIONS Benefit of all present papers for current stage of knowledge is directly obvious from their text. So, I will summarize the main benefit of each paper very briefly here. Chapter 2 - From the comparison of long-term vs... more
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS Benefit of all present papers for current stage of knowledge is directly obvious from their text. So, I will summarize the main benefit of each paper very briefly here. Chapter 2 - From the comparison of long-term vs short-term nutritional effects, it was concluded that long-term fertilizer experiments are irreplaceable as many existing models and predictions can be validated only by means of long-term manipulation of plant communities and their continuous observation and documentation. Chapter 3 - Long-term fertilizer application can create grasslands with no overlap of plant species composition in the scale of several meters. Species indicative of low productivity grasslands (short grasses, orchids, and sedges) can survive longterm nitrogen application if phosphorus is limiting nutrient for growth of highly productive grassland species. Chapter 4 - Long-term addition of limiting nutrient can affect grassland ecosystem in three ways: 1) by change in plant species composition without significant increase in total biomass production, 2) by no change in species composition but with significant increase in total biomass production, and 3) by substantial change in plant species composition accompanied by significant increase in total biomass production. Chapter 5 - Long-term fertilizer..
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Figure 3 Dendrogram of experimental plots in the RGE clustered based on combinations of their categorical plant functional traits (four years average of data, 2005-2008). Indices are followed by plot numbers (replicates) and series number... more
Figure 3 Dendrogram of experimental plots in the RGE clustered based on combinations of their categorical plant functional traits (four years average of data, 2005-2008). Indices are followed by plot numbers (replicates) and series number of data set. Figure 1 Ordination diagram displaying plant functional trait attributes and EIV values in relation to fertilizer treatments as a result of the RDA in the RGE. Traits exhibiting significant differences among treatments (p<0.05) are in bold. -1.0 1.0 -1 .0 1 .0
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Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Soil Science, Ecosystem Services, Prehistoric Settlement, and 10 moreAncient Near East, Environmental Sustainability, Nutrient, Anthropogenic impact, Ecosystem, Human Settlement, Mediterranean Climate, Chemical Composition, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Recycling of Nutrients
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Figure 3 Dendrogram of experimental plots in the RGE clustered based on combinations of their categorical plant functional traits (four years average of data, 2005-2008). Indices are followed by plot numbers (replicates) and series number... more
Figure 3 Dendrogram of experimental plots in the RGE clustered based on combinations of their categorical plant functional traits (four years average of data, 2005-2008). Indices are followed by plot numbers (replicates) and series number of data set. Figure 1 Ordination diagram displaying plant functional trait attributes and EIV values in relation to fertilizer treatments as a result of the RDA in the RGE. Traits exhibiting significant differences among treatments (p<0.05) are in bold. -1.0 1.0 -1 .0 1 .0
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Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Soil Science, Ecosystem Services, Prehistoric Settlement, and 10 moreAncient Near East, Environmental Sustainability, Nutrient, Anthropogenic impact, Ecosystem, Human Settlement, Mediterranean Climate, Chemical Composition, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Recycling of Nutrients
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Little information is available on how fertilizer application affects concentration of many elements in peeled potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers and peels. We analyzed how long-term application of cattle slurry and mineral N, P and K... more
Little information is available on how fertilizer application affects concentration of many elements in peeled potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers and peels. We analyzed how long-term application of cattle slurry and mineral N, P and K fertilizers affects the yield of tubers, their dry matter content and concentrations of elements. In 2009, potatoes tubers were collected in control, cattle slurry (CS), mineral N4P2K2 and combined CSN4P2K2 treatment of the Ruzyně Fertilizer and Crop Rotation Experiment established on Illimerized Luvisol in Prague (Czech Republic) in 1955. Amount of N, P and K supplied by CS was 138, 30 and 172 kg/ha and the amount supplied by N4P2K2 was 110, 31 and 186 kg/ha. Yield of fresh potatoes ranged from 20.6 in the control up to 31.2 t/ha in CSN4P2K2 treatment. Dry matter content of unpeeled tubers, peeled tubers and potato peels was not significantly affected by fertilizer treatments probably because of not excessive N application. Normal cropping practices wi...
Research Interests: Chemistry, Plant Biology, Calcium, Phosphorus, Lead, and 5 moreFertilizer, Soil sciences, Slurry, Crop Yield, and Dry Matter
Little information is available on how fertilizer application affects concentration of many elements in peeled potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers and peels. We analyzed how long-term application of cattle slurry and mineral N, P and K... more
Little information is available on how fertilizer application affects concentration of many elements in peeled potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers and peels. We analyzed how long-term application of cattle slurry and mineral N, P and K fertilizers affects the yield of tubers, their dry matter content and concentrations of elements. In 2009, potatoes tubers were collected in control, cattle slurry (CS), mineral N4P2K2 and combined CSN4P2K2 treatment of the Ruzyně Fertilizer and Crop Rotation Experiment established on Illimerized Luvisol in Prague (Czech Republic) in 1955. Amount of N, P and K supplied by CS was 138, 30 and 172 kg/ha and the amount supplied by N4P2K2 was 110, 31 and 186 kg/ha. Yield of fresh potatoes ranged from 20.6 in the control up to 31.2 t/ha in CSN4P2K2 treatment. Dry matter content of unpeeled tubers, peeled tubers and potato peels was not significantly affected by fertilizer treatments probably because of not excessive N application. Normal cropping practices wi...
Research Interests: Chemistry, Plant Biology, Calcium, Phosphorus, Lead, and 5 moreFertilizer, Soil sciences, Slurry, Crop Yield, and Dry Matter
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Rhinanthus minor (yellow-rattle) can be used for restoration of species-rich grasslands but is vulnerable to competitive exclusion from high total aboveground biomass production of vascular plants. We asked (1) whether there is a... more
Rhinanthus minor (yellow-rattle) can be used for restoration of species-rich grasslands but is vulnerable to competitive exclusion from high total aboveground biomass production of vascular plants. We asked (1) whether there is a threshold limit for total annual aboveground biomass production of vascular plants above which R. minor cannot establish viable population in grasslands and (2) how is cover of R. minor in grassland related to standing biomass of bryophytes. Data were collected in the Rengen Grassland Experiment (RGE) established in Germany in 1941 with following fertilizer treatments: unfertilized control, application of Ca, CaN, CaNP, CaNPKCl and CaNPK2SO4. Cover of R. minor and total annual aboveground biomass production of vascular plants were determined from 2005 to 2009. Further relationship between standing biomass of bryophytes and cover of R. minor was analyzed in 2006. Mean cover of R. minor over five years ranged from 0.7% to 12.3% in CaNPK2SO4 and control treatm...
Research Interests: Geography, Agronomy, Plant Biology, Biology, Productivity, and 3 morePopulation, Soil sciences, and Grassland
The effect of different cutting and mulching regimes on the structure of the sward and plant species diversity of semi-natural meadow (Arrhenatherion alliance) was investigated in manipulative experiment over five years. Mulching once a... more
The effect of different cutting and mulching regimes on the structure of the sward and plant species diversity of semi-natural meadow (Arrhenatherion alliance) was investigated in manipulative experiment over five years. Mulching once a year in September (MS) and plots without management (U) developed in the same way and resulted in increase of Veronica chamaedrys and Galium album and disappearance of light sensitive Trifolium repens. T. repens increased in two cut, two cut without removal of the biomass and in three times mulched treatments. The lowest species diversity was recorded under MS and U treatments on the end of the experiment. Mulching once a year in July altered the vegetation in a different way than the MS treatment. Our results indicate high importance of term of mulching and frequency of defoliation management on the development of grassland vegetation.
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Norway spruce yellowing and defoliation caused by Mg deficiency was frequently recorded on many sites of the Šumava Mts. (Bohemian Forest Mts.) since 1980’s. A forest experiment aimed at investigation response of spruce to Mg application... more
Norway spruce yellowing and defoliation caused by Mg deficiency was frequently recorded on many sites of the Šumava Mts. (Bohemian Forest Mts.) since 1980’s. A forest experiment aimed at investigation response of spruce to Mg application (commercial fertilizer SILVAMIX® Mg NPK) was set up in 1998. Fertilizer was applied manually in a dose of 96.5 kg Mg/ha in spruce (S) and beech-spruce (BS) vegetation altitudinal zones in spring 2000. Immediate decrease of yellowing was revealed in fertilized plots in both vegetation zones and yellowing almost completely disappeared at the end of the investigation in 2005. Further, fertilization resulted in stabile foliation while marked defoliation was reported from control plots in both vegetation zones. Mg deficiency can be effectively eliminated by appropriate fertilizer application. Balanced nutrition contributes to long-term vigour and stability of forest stands.
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Plant variation in nutrient concentrations encompasses two major axes. The first is connected to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), reflects growth rate and has been designated as the leaf economics spectrum (LES) while the second follows... more
Plant variation in nutrient concentrations encompasses two major axes. The first is connected to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), reflects growth rate and has been designated as the leaf economics spectrum (LES) while the second follows the gradient in calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and mirrors cell structural differences. Here, we tested in grasslands whether the sum Ca + Mg concentrations is a better indicator of digestibility than LES constituents. Structural equation modelling revealed that the total effect size of N (0.30) on digestibility was much lower than that of Ca + Mg (0.58). The N effect originated predominantly from sampling date (biomass ageing), while the Ca + Mg effect largely from phylogenetic composition (proportion of monocots). Thus, plant variation in partially substitutable divalent cations seems to play a significant role in biomass digestion by ruminants. This finding contests, together with litter decomposition studies, the prominent role of the LES for un...
Research Interests: Chemistry, Calcium, Ecology, Medicine, Phosphorus, and 3 moreMagnesium, Nutrient, and Ecological Applications
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Projekt usiluje o vytvoření systému indikátorů, které budou přímo prakticky použitelné pro hodnocení krajinných funkcí ekologického zemědělství včetně funkce ochrany biodiverzity. Byl prokázán různý vývoj druhových společenství v... more
Projekt usiluje o vytvoření systému indikátorů, které budou přímo prakticky použitelné pro hodnocení krajinných funkcí ekologického zemědělství včetně funkce ochrany biodiverzity. Byl prokázán různý vývoj druhových společenství v závislosti na způsobu obhospodařování - pastvě, ponechání ladem a sečení. Zpráva obsahuje velmi stručné zhodnocení výsledků projektu. V příloze jsou uvedeny publikované výsledky
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Fast-growing clones of Salix and Populus species have been studied for phytoremediation of soils contaminated by risk elements (REs) using short-rotation coppice plantations. Biomass yield, accumulation and removal of RE (Cd, Pb and Zn)... more
Fast-growing clones of Salix and Populus species have been studied for phytoremediation of soils contaminated by risk elements (REs) using short-rotation coppice plantations. Biomass yield, accumulation and removal of RE (Cd, Pb and Zn) by highly productive willow (S1—(Salix schwerinii × Salix viminalis) × S. viminalis, S2—Salix × smithiana) and poplar (P1—Populus maximowiczii × Populus nigra, P2—P. nigra) clones were investigated with and without sewage sludge (SS) application. The precise field experiment was established in April 2008 on moderately Cd-, Pb- and Zn-contaminated soil. Initially, shoots were harvested after four seasons in February 2012 and then after two more seasons in February 2014. The application of SS limited plant growth during the first years of the experiment in the majority of treatments, mainly due to weed competition and higher concentrations of available soil nutrients causing lower yields than those of control (C) treatments. Well-developed roots were able to take advantage of SS applications, and shoot yield was mainly higher in SS treatments in the second harvest, reaching up to 15 t dry matter (DM) ha−1. Willows performed better than poplars. Application of SS reduced RE shoot concentrations compared to the C treatment. The removal of RE was significantly higher in the second harvest for all clones and elements (except the P2 clone), and the biomass yield was the major driving force for the amount of RE removed by shoots. Well-developed plantations of fast-growing trees showed better suitability for the phytoextraction of moderately contaminated soils for Cd and partly for Zn but not for Pb, which was less available to plants. From the four tested clones, S2 showed the best removal of Cd (up to 0.94 %) and Zn (up to 0.34 %) of the total soil element content, respectively, and this clone is a good candidate for phytoextraction. SS can be a suitable source of nutrients for Salix clones without any threat to the food chain in terms of biomass contamination, but its application to the soil can result in an increased incidence of some weeds during the first years of plantation.
Research Interests: Agronomy, Phytoremediation, Bioenergy, Biology, Sewage sludge, and 3 moreContamination, Soil Water, and Shoot
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Research Interests: Botany, Technology, Polymorphism, Czech, Central European history, and 15 moreBiology, Morphometry, Molecular Genetics, Genetic Diversity, Biological Sciences, Pergamon, Trait, ISSR, Deserted Medieval Villages, Genotype, Leaf Morphology, Cemetery Studies, Principal component analysis (PCA), Genetic Variability, and Medical and Health Sciences
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Research Interests: Agronomy, Plant Biology, Biology, Stocking, Grassland, and 3 moreGrazing, Temperate Climate, and agrostis
Until now, relatively little attention has been paid to the origin and history of grasslands in Central Europe and to the sources of information that can be used for such study. The aim of this review was to discuss the origin of natural... more
Until now, relatively little attention has been paid to the origin and history of grasslands in Central Europe and to the sources of information that can be used for such study. The aim of this review was to discuss the origin of natural and semi-natural grasslands in Central Europe. Without any written records, grassland history can be studied using the pollen and macrorem-nant analysis of different sediments and by soil charcoal analysis. An indicator of grasslands is the ratio of non-arboreal/arboreal pollen and species such as Plantago lanceolata and Urtica dioica in sediments. Pastures can be indicated by Juniperus communis pollen or by its charcoals. Insect-pollinated species can be studied using cesspit sediments and vessels in graves, because of their pollen in honey which was used as a sweetener. In Central Europe, natural grasslands occurred even before the start of agricultural activities in the Early Neolithic (5500 BC), but their area was relatively small and grassland ...
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Fast-growing clones of Salix and Populus have been studied for remediation of soils contaminated by risk elements (RE) using short-rotation coppice plantations. Our aim was to assess biomass yield and distributions of elements in wood and... more
Fast-growing clones of Salix and Populus have been studied for remediation of soils contaminated by risk elements (RE) using short-rotation coppice plantations. Our aim was to assess biomass yield and distributions of elements in wood and bark of highly productive willow (S1-[Salix schwerinii × Salix viminalis] × S. viminalis, S2-Salix × smithiana clone S-218) and poplar (P1-Populus maximowiczii × Populus nigra, P2-P. nigra) clones with respect to aging. The field experiment was established in April 2008 on moderately Cd-, Pb- and Zn- contaminated soil. Shoots were harvested after four seasons (February 2012) and separated into annual classes of wood and bark. All tested clones grew on contaminated soils, with highest biomass production and lowest mortality exhibited by P1 and S2. Concentrations of elements, with exception of Ca and Pb, decreased with age and were higher in bark than in wood. The Salix clones were characterised by higher removal of Cd, Mn and Zn compared to the Populus clones. Despite generally higher RE content in young shoots, partly due to lower wood/bark ratios and higher RE concentrations in bark, the overall removal of RE was higher in older wood classes due to higher biomass yield. Thus, longer rotations seem to be more effective when phytoextraction strategy is considered. Of the four selected clones, S1 exhibited the best removal of Cd and Zn and is a good candidate for phytoextraction.
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Research Interests: Zoology, Agronomy, Biology, Grassland, Weed, and 3 moreLolium Perenne L., Taproot, and Poa pratensis
The Rengen Grassland Experiment (RGE), begun on grassland dominated by Nardus stricta in 1941, is one of the oldest properly designed still running fertiliser experiment worldwide. RGE consisted of following treatments arranged in five... more
The Rengen Grassland Experiment (RGE), begun on grassland dominated by Nardus stricta in 1941, is one of the oldest properly designed still running fertiliser experiment worldwide. RGE consisted of following treatments arranged in five randomised blocks: an unfertilized control, Ca, CaN, CaNP, CaNP-KCl, and CaNP-K 2 SO 4 . In 2005, soil chemical properties data were collected aiming to analyze effect of soil parameters on biomass production, plant species composition, and species richness of vascular plants counted in five spatial scales. Soil properties (concentration of K, P, C/N ratio, and pH) and biomass production were strictly dependant on fertilizers applied. In treatments without P application, biomass production was negatively correlated with soil P concentration despite of extremely low P concentration. The explanatory power of all measured soil parameters on plant species composition was almost the same like the power of the treatment effect (61.7% versus 62% of explained...
Research Interests: Agronomy, Biology, Cattle Grazing, Grassland, Forage, and 5 moreGrazing, Pasture, Seeding, White Clover, and Trifolium repens
Summary Management of high-nature-value (HNV) grasslands follows agri-environmental schemes across large areas of Europe. Long-term agreements and restrictions of fertilizers cause soil nutrient impoverishment, but remarkably this quite... more
Summary Management of high-nature-value (HNV) grasslands follows agri-environmental schemes across large areas of Europe. Long-term agreements and restrictions of fertilizers cause soil nutrient impoverishment, but remarkably this quite often does not reduce biomass production. Therefore, we tested how species-rich vegetation copes with nutrient impoverishment under the most frequently used treatments, that is summer mowing and livestock grazing. During 2011–2012 we studied, simultaneously, plant species composition, soil and biomass chemical properties in two equally designed experiments where mowing, grazing or leaving fallow have been applied since 2004. We asked whether soil-based (Corg : Ntot, plant-available P and K) and plant-based measures (N : P, N : K, K : P ratios and N-, P-, K-nutrition indices) indicate the same pattern of nutrient limitation as the observed productivity gradient. Seven years of management application resulted in the lowest plant-available P under grazing and the lowest plant-available K under mowing, but neither grazed nor mown plots produced less biomass than fallow ones. Grazing supported dominance of grasses while mowing that of non-leguminous forbs. Projection of nutrition indices to a common framework with nutrient ratios suggests that critical thresholds for diagnosis of nutrient limitation are a function of N deficiency. At biomass production of 2 t ha−1 a N-nutrition index of 50 yielded threshold N : P = 14·0; hence, all our treatments with N : P of 9·9–12·5 should be N limited. Inspecting the productivity gradient separately for each management, we found only soil Corg : Ntot negatively related to biomass production in mown plots indicating N limitation. However in grazed plots, positive association of biomass production with plant-available P and negative with biomass N : P and N : K suggested PK co-limitation. Synthesis and applications. Mowing and grazing induced different patterns of soil nutrient impoverishment and nutrient limitation, but they did not reduce biomass production of high-nature-value grasslands. Non-leguminous forbs prevailing under mowing precluded shortage of P, while grasses dominating under grazing efficiently captured N. We recommend designing agri-environmental measures that will encourage alternating mowing and grazing. This should promote coexistence of multiple forbs and grasses, balance nutrient limitation and ensure stable biomass production under future low-input scenarios.
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ABSTRACT How is grain yield and quality affected by fertilizer regime, soil type, and year is not yet well known. In 2011–2013 we analyzed yield and baking quality of grain on loamy degraded Chernozem (ICRE, 225 m a.s.l.), Greyic Phaeozem... more
ABSTRACT How is grain yield and quality affected by fertilizer regime, soil type, and year is not yet well known. In 2011–2013 we analyzed yield and baking quality of grain on loamy degraded Chernozem (ICRE, 225 m a.s.l.), Greyic Phaeozem (CCRE, 263 m a.s.l.), and sandy loamy Cambisol (LCRE, 620 m a.s.l.) under the control (C), farmyard manure (FYM), and farmyard manure together with mineral NPK application (FYM + NPK) treatments. In 2011, the mean grain yields were 5.86, 6.82, and 10.6 t ha−1 in C, FYM, and FYM + NPK treatments, respectively; in 2012, the grain yields were only 3.92, 4.56, and 5.58 t ha−1 , respectively, due to an extremely dry season; and in 2013, the grain yields were 5.74, 6.15, and 8.21 t ha−1 , respectively, as the precipitation increased. In 2011, grain yields were the highest in the ICRE and the lowest in the LCRE, but in 2012, the highest yields were recorded in the CCRE and the lowest in ICRE. Kernel weight, crude protein content, bulk density of caryopses, and values of Zeleny sedimentation test were the highest in FYM + NPK treatment on all localities in all years. We concluded that grain yield and quality could be highly affected by year, fertilizer application, and soil type.
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High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8) and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of... more
High Al resistance of Rumex obtusifolius together with its ability to accumulate Al has never been studied in weakly acidic conditions (pH > 5.8) and is not sufficiently described in real soil conditions. The potential elucidation of the role of organic acids in plant can explain the Al tolerance mechanism. We established a pot experiment with R. obtusifolius planted in slightly acidic and alkaline soils. For the manipulation of Al availability, both soils were untreated and treated by lime and superphosphate. We determined mobile Al concentrations in soils and concentrations of Al and organic acids in organs. Al availability correlated positively to the extraction of organic acids (citric acid < oxalic acid) in soils. Monovalent Al cations were the most abundant mobile Al forms with positive charge in soils. Liming and superphosphate application were ambiguous measures for changing Al mobility in soils. Elevated transport of total Al from belowground organs into leaves was re...